This review is from: A Second Chance (The Belanger Creek Ranch Series Book 4) (Kindle Edition)

I have read this book and done nothing else until I finished it. Phew what a marathon… I enjoyed the way the story unfolded telling how Sarah run away from a really bad man to protect her and her son, and how her new friends all help her to a life of safety on a ranch where she meets Grayson. As her story unfolds Grayson falls more in lover with her determined she is the woman for him he tells her of his dark life that has led him to the ranch… Is this all to much for Sarah will they be able to move on well I got so in grossed I just had to keep reading to find out…

This review is from: A Second Chance (The Belanger Creek Ranch Series Book 4) (Kindle Edition)

I read “A Second Chance” because Gloria read and reviewed my book and I decided, by my choice, to read and review hers as well. I was hesitant as it was a romance novel, but that could not be farther from the truth. It was romantic at times, but in my opinion it is not a romance novel. It is a heart-warming story of Sarah and her son Taylor who spent 14 years running from a bad relationship and her abusive father. She lived scared, mostly for her son, moving every time her ex-boyfriend, Taylor’s father, caught up with them.

It is a story of family, new friendships and of perseverance. Finally, Sarah met a man, Grayson who inevitably tamed her stubborn streak and lessened her fears. Grayson immediately loved little Taylor, and as Taylor was growing up and needing a father figure in his life, the feeling was mutual. Grayson drew Sarah into his life through his own stubborn streak, and wormed his way into her heart. Grayson has his own dark secret which led to problems with Sarah when he finally told her his story.

For a long time toward the end, the story was sweet and nice but interesting enough to keep my attention, but I kept wondering when the ex-boyfriend was going to throw a monkey wrench into the works. I would have been disappointed if the book had ended without him showing back up to wreak havoc. I was not disappointed.

Knowing what I do now, I would read a similar book in a heartbeat. You cannot not like the story, and that goes for you men out there. Excellent story! There were regular editing problems, but the story still warrants my rating.

This review is from: The Hand of Fate (The Belanger Creek Ranch Series Book 3) (Kindle Edition)

Phew! What a roller coaster ride. Though The Hand of Fate is book 3 in the Belanger Ranch Creek series, it is the last for me to read. I already know what happens in book 4 because I read it first not realizing it was a series, but no spoilers from this reader. However, once I finished reading book 4, I knew I had to buy and read the other 3 books, which I did. Though each book can be read as a standalone without too much fuss, I suggest you read them all – you won’t be disappointed.

Christina is a strong and independent woman. Or is she? She takes a job as an office manager at Swift Current Accounting and Bookkeeping Services, but keeps her past to herself – a past that includes a heartbreaking divorce from her ex-husband because she had the MRHK genetics disorder. Since then she does not allow anyone to get too close to protect herself from heartbreak.

Tim has issues of his own, starting with rejection from his step-family.

Hers and Tim’s past bring their friendship to the next level and then the next until they learn that with love, family, and good friends, who support you at every turn, you can have it all.

Same as with the other books in the series, Gloria Antypowich brought some new characters – Grayson, Sarah, and Taylor and masterfully wove their lives with those of the old ones Frank, Colt,. Shauna Lee, Ellie Brad, etc.

A fascinating contemporary romance series with charming plots and vibrant characters, set against the serene and enchanting background of a beautiful ranch. The mystery factor will have you turn pages.

Last night my husband and I went to see the REVENANT at the theater in Williams Lake. We have not watched or been to a movie in years—in fact I’m very certain that the last one we watched in a theater was “Catch Me If You Can” one evening when we were in Kamloops, B.C. when we were much younger and he was open to doing something like that.

At this stage in life, he is only interested in the News, sports, hunting and fishing shows and nature shows so that is basically what we watch on TV. He has no use for “fiction” and shoot ‘em up movies like James Bond or CSI. But when he saw the previews for the REVENANT —based on the “true story” of a frontiersman/trapper, the bear attacking the man, the Appaloosa horse (he used to raise Appaloosa’s) being ridden full tilt over a steep cliff, he decided he wanted to go to that movie. Our son-in-law and daughter were going also so we met them in town, went out for Chinese food and then went to the movie together.

Here is my review for the REVANANT. The cinematography and makeup artistry were very well done. And Leonardo DiCaprio probably deserves an award for his acting and the reported discomfort he had to endure during filming. But for me, the actual presentation of the story of Hugh Glass the notorious frontiersman and trapper required too much suspension of reality to become totally involved. I felt like I was watching Hugh Glass as superman on steroids. Any normal human being would have died in the circumstances portrayed, no matter how determined and tough they were.

Tom Hardy did a very good job of playing the role of John Fitzgerald who, to me, came off as a total self-serving, traitorous asshole who lied and was willing to kill when it suited him. But in all fairness, under the circumstances, his decision to leave Huge Glass as dead could probably justified as self-preservation, but the rest of his actions revealed his true character.

This movie was “based on a true story,” but I was reminded again that certainly all fiction has some basis of “truth” somewhere. There is plenty of violence, murder, shooting (often using musket guns that never seem to be needed to be muzzle loaded in fast moving scenes—bang, bang, bang) –also beautiful scenery and the movie was shot in natural light.

After the movie was over I asked my daughter and son-in-law what the title meant and how it related to the show. None of us knew so when we came home I looked information about the movie and the meaning of REVENANT. Online I discovered that Revenant means “a person who has returned, especially supposedly from the dead.”

You may love this movie! For me, it was simply a night out. Would I go to see it again? Not likely. I don’t like it when something is presented as based on truth, yet is so patently fiction. I don’t shy away from violence and blood and guts–I just don’t want to have to “hold my nose” and pretend that I believe it is truth. I’d be much more interested in seeing “13 hours” in the theater or sitting at home with a glass of wine and watching NCIS. It’s a good thing that we do not all have the same tastes.